


A Dozen Tiny Birthday Wishes

by somanyfeels



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Birthday, F/M, Fluff, Gen, No Angst, Surprise Party, no sad only happy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-24
Updated: 2019-02-24
Packaged: 2019-11-05 00:48:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17908889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/somanyfeels/pseuds/somanyfeels
Summary: Its Tony's birthday amd his friends surprise him with something small, away from the press, and special just for him.





	A Dozen Tiny Birthday Wishes

**Author's Note:**

> Big thanks to endlessstairway on tumblr for commissioning me. I hope its as lovely as you wanted!

Tony woke up feeling groggy and tired, the muscles of his back feeling heavier and tighter than usual and he almost didn’t want to get out of bed.  His body was telling him to sleep longer. Sleep forever. Curled up in this cocoon of warm blankets he had created around himself. Peaceful, safe, drifting in and out of sleep.

 

“Don’t make that face at me, it’s time to get up.”  Pepper said, whispering to him as she elbowed his shoulder.  “Come on, I know you’re awake. Open your eyes.”

 

Tony did, his nose wrinkling and his lip pushing out in a pout.  She was hovering over him, smiling. It had to be early, the sun was low enough to just barely start seeping over the trees and into their bedroom window on the compound.  She leaned down and gave him a soft kiss, placing a steaming cup of coffee on the bedside table.

 

“You’re bringing me coffee in bed now?”  He asked when she pulled back.

 

Pepper sat down on the edge of the bed, one hand squeezing Tony’s shoulder as he pushed himself up and reached for the mug.  “It’s a special occasion. I thought you would like it to start the day off right.”

 

Special occasion.  “It’s not our anniversary.  I know our anniversary, okay.  It’s not today.” Tony said, pointing a finger at her as he took a long sip.  He was positive it wasn’t her birthday. The date didn’t seem right and she wouldn’t bring him coffee on her birthday.

 

“You don’t know?”  She asked, her eyebrows raising high in surprise.  “There were no big party plans, so I figured you wanted something small for once.  I didn’t realize you had actually forgotten. Tony, who forgets their own birthday?”

 

“My birthday?”  Tony said.

 

“March 31st.  It’s the same every year.”  She said.

 

If he wanted to be honest, he never remembered.  Every year Pepper would ask if he wanted to have a party and he always said yes.  Then there would be a party, which naturally grew into a mess like all parties he goes to ends up turning into, whether he means it or not.  Either he drank too much and wanted to show off some inventions or a robot in the basement woke up and decided to slaughter humanity. Parties never really work out for him.

 

“Well, don’t let me stop you from celebrating.”  Tony said with a smile. Pepper leaned in again, pressing her lips to the corner of his mouth and then jumping back before he could deepen it and ask for more.

 

“You’re expected in the kitchen.”  She said, backing away towards the door.  Pepper kept smiling at him, grinning mischievously as she backed up until she left the room.

 

Tony shook his head and wrapped both hands around the hot mug.  No cream, three sugars. Just how he liked it. Exactly how she always made it for him.  He let the warmth sink into his hands from the cup and into his chest as he drank. It was early, but waking up to hot coffee wasn’t a bad way to start the day.

 

He took his time getting out of bed.  He had his tablet to check the news, nothing was threatening the globe at the moment.  His schedule was surprisingly clear of anything in regards to Stark Industries, the Avengers, and the DoD.  It was as if someone had taken their time to make sure nothing was scheduled for today. He had his favorite ebooks saved, bookmarked, and pulled up.  He wanted to finish his cup of coffee before making his way down, so he took his time sipping on the mug and catching up on the chapters he was behind.  Today, he wanted to take his time with everything. It was exhausting, having everything going so fast all the time.

 

When he finally did make it to the kitchen, he was still in his pajamas, his feet hidden in his slippers, and a blanket wrapped around his shoulders like a cloak.  He was more comfortable than he had been in a long time, allowing himself to enjoy it for once. Just for today.

 

“Good morning.”  Bruce said, standing at the stove and frying a few eggs.  The waffle iron was on the counter, Natasha was chopping up fruit, and Pepper was there to guide him to his seat at the center of the kitchen island.  “I have some bacon in the oven. We have eggs, any kind of fruit waffle you want because we’re out of chocolate chips, and fresh coffee.”

 

“I certainly hope you guys aren’t going through so much trouble on my behalf.”  Tony said, pointing at the strawberries Natasha dropped into the waffle batter and nodded.

 

“We’re not.  I’m just hungry.”  Natasha said with a wink.  “And I like waffles. The fact that it’s your birthday and Pepper told us to be nice is completely unrelated.”

 

She was smiling, which was more than he usually got when they traded jokes.  Usually she was deadpan, almost so serious Tony second guessed himself. After the years he had known her, he hoped he was getting good at judging if she was joking with him or not, but today’s smile was a welcomed confirmation from the usual.

 

She put a big plate of strawberry and banana waffles in front of him, pressing a soft kiss to his temple and whispering a gentle ‘Happy Birthday’.  Tenderness that Natasha rarely showed. Tony felt warm, he smiled back at her, and remembered all the drastically different birthdays she had with him.  Of all of them here, besides Rhodey and Pepper, he had known Natasha the longest. They had all seen him at his worst, his best, and everything in between.

 

“Eat your breakfast.”  Bruce said. “We have plans, you have to eat.”

 

Tony shoved a forkful of waffles into his mouth, having no shame as he spoke.  “Plans?”

 

“Eat first.”  Bruce said, pointing to Tony’s plate.

 

The waffles were good.  It had been a while since he, or anyone else, had taken the time to make waffles from scratch.  The batter wasn’t powder from a box and the waffles weren’t frozen and jammed into a toaster. They were thick, fluffy, and sweet, each bite getting a bit of fruit, and Tony loved every minute of it.  One of his favorite breakfast foods, and as he ate they kept making more and piling them onto his plate until Vision and Rhodey made it down to the kitchen as well.

 

Everyone who wanted to eat had enough, all sitting around the kitchen island and stuffing their faces.  By the time they were done, their faces were all dripping with sticky syrup. All except Vision, who watched them eat but showed no interest in actually eating one.

 

“Plans?”  Tony asked again, carrying his empty plate to the sink and running the water hot to scrub his face and hands.  “You guys said we had plans?”

 

“We do.  Get dressed.  Comfortable, not flashy.  Warm, but not overly bulky.”  Pepper said, putting her plate in the sink on top of his and then pushing up on her toes, pressing her lips against his, and then pulling away with the same mischievous grin she had since he woke up.  

 

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”  Tony asked.

 

“Don’t question the woman, Tony.  Just do it. Go get dressed and try not to look like an idiot or I will have to pick your clothes for you.”  Rhodey said. He reached over and squeezed Tony’s shoulder.

 

They were all standing so close to him, all smiling at one another, sharing knowing looks that Tony just didn’t understand.  An inside joke he wasn’t allowed in on yet. But it wasn’t a joke, it was his birthday. Tony felt heat burst through his chest, warmth flooding through him as Pepper let him go and shooed him away with a wave of the hand, insisting he go get ready.  They were expected, she said. Somewhere else. Somewhere soon.

 

Tony walked particularly fast this morning.  He was eager for his surprise. It was for him.  No big parties, no press releases, nothing big and public that would be blasted all over the headlines this year.  Just a surprise from his friends.

 

He put on a blazer over a t-shirt.  Simple jeans and comfortable shoes. He was tempted to look like an idiot, despite Rhodey’s warnings.  He had brightly colored blazers that cost a fortune, they were hideous, the designs stitched into them gaudy and awkward instead of fashionable.  He could wear crocs and tall socks, just to see everyone’s face and talk about how comfortable they were. He didn’t, he dressed like a normal person for once, but the temptation was there.

 

He met them all downstairs.  They were taking two separate cars but Tony was given a hint to his secret as they all climbed in.  They were heading into the city. All of them. The rest of the team would meet them there. Happy opened the door and Tony was smashed into the backseat between Pepper and Rhodey, Vision sitting calmly in the front.

 

“Is it the zoo?  They won’t let us go back there.”  Tony said.

 

Rhodey shook his head, his grin wide.  “That was nearly twenty years ago, I doubt we’re still banned.”

 

“They put our pictures on the wall, Rhodey.  Our pictures. In the security room and in the ticket booth.  And it’s your fault.” Tony said, jamming a finger into his friend’s chest.  “You’re the one who jumped the fence.”

 

“You dared me to.  What was I just not going to do it?  It was a double dog dare, Tony. You set me up for failure.”  Rhodey said, putting his hand on his chest and his tone had an aire of victimhood.  “It’s a conspiracy. I took the fall, got none of the reward.”

 

“What reward?  You pet a panda and then we got kicked out.  I didn’t pet the panda, you did. I got none of the reward and all of the consequences.”  Tony said.

 

They bickered back and forth about where the fault belonged and who got the better end of the deal.  They argued about whether or not they were still banned from the zoo, or if being superheroes had revoked that.  Pepper called the zoo, asking to speak to a representative of the security team, of the marketing, see if the two men were still banned due to their drunken escapades two decades earlier.

 

It helped Tony get a second hint to what his surprise was.  It wasn’t the zoo.

 

When they reached the city, Tony felt light and happy.  Years ago, a birthday surprise would have caused anxiety, would have made him nervous, fearful of regrets he would have later and depressed about any he had currently.  Today wasn’t like that. Today was comfortable, he was surrounded by his friends who smiled and sat close and reassured him, without directly saying so, that today was a good day for all of them.

 

They pulled into the hospital.  Not a single news van, reporter, or even an idiot with a camera.  Just a parking lot filled as it normally would be. He raised an eyebrow, turning to Pepper who just shook her head and told him to just wait and see.

 

“If this is some elaborately weird way of telling me your pregnant, then I would rather you tell me in the car.”  Tony said as everyone started to climb out. “Pep, baby. You know how I feel about hospitals.”

 

“Yes, Tony.  I do know exactly how you feel about them so just come inside and stop making assumptions.”  She said, waving him out of the car eagerly.

 

Tony got out of the car, Rhodey’s hand darting out and squeezing his shoulder as their group went inside, Natasha and Bruce trailing a bit behind, Vision turning and heading through the walls, and Pepper and Rhodey each had an arm around him to lead him through the hallway.  Tony had been to this hospital a few times, visiting patients, donating money, one emergency Avengers fight where he had been slightly impaled. It was a few years ago, he had been fine.

 

They turned down one hallway and Tony raised an eyebrow at the red and yellow streamers curling around each other, around a pair of double doors at the end of the hall.  Pepper’s grip on his arm tightened, she was practically dragging him towards the door this time, eager and happy. Tony didn’t know what was on the other side, but his heart beat fast and he nearly tripped as she dragged him along.  Stumbling, but Rhodey’s hand on his back kept him from falling.

 

Pepper knocked twice and then started to push the doors open, stepping to the side a bit as she went in.

 

“Surprise!”  Came the shout.

 

Children, a dozen of them crammed into the activity room that was decorated with drawings, stars, red and gold handmade decorations.  A table at the far end was covered in food and all the children rushed forward. Tony saw the line of nurses near the windows talking with Vision, May and Peter both leaning against the wall nearby, hands covered in paint and marker ink.

 

“The children’s ward is overjoyed to be hosting Iron Man’s birthday party this year, at the expense of an anonymous donor, of course.”  Pepper whispered to him.

 

Small hands grabbed his and dragged him into the room.  He was immediately surrounded by excited children all calling out to Iron Man, shouting ‘Happy Birthdays’ and asking how old he was, if he wanted to open his presents, if he had seen his cake.  He was brought to a seat covered in tape and colorful paper, a big sparkly cone hat put on his head, and he was surrounded by everyone’s smiles. Smiles he had no choice but to match, wide and happy as he looked at everything.  The decorations all handcrafted by the kids, with the help of Peter and May from what Tony could tell. So many drawings of Iron Man, saving people, carrying missiles, punching aliens, or just standing next to the rest of the team.

 

There were games first.  The kids all made their own Avengers masks out of construction paper and played a game that Tony didn’t know the rules to and couldn’t even begin to understand.  He just smiled as a tiny Hulk chased around a tiny Captain America, shouting something garbled that he didn’t quite hear. Tony watched, his heart pounding in his chest, and they all having so much fun.  A little Hawkeye pushed around a little Thor in his wheelchair as an Iron Man and a Captain America held hands as they darted around for the game.

 

“Are you happy?”  Pepper asked, sinking into the chair next to him.

 

“Was this your idea?”  Tony said.

 

She nodded, reaching out and squeezing his hand.  “I know how much you like spending your time here, making other people happy.  You’re a secret softie and you can’t hide it anymore.”

 

“They’re all so happy.”  Tony said, tilting his head towards the kids.

 

“Because they think you’re happy.  Iron Man came to have his birthday party with them, they’ve been so excited for it all week.  They made you presents.” Pepper said.

 

“I have presents?”

 

She nodded, grinning from ear to ear.  “After the candles though. They want to sing you Happy Birthday.”

 

They did.  After their game, Tony smiled and clapped as they stood in front of him and asked if he was having fun.  They were determined, always glancing at him to make sure Iron Man was still there and still having a good birthday party.  A group of children on a mission, one they intended not to fail.

 

They got into a line, side by side, heads bobbing and bodies wiggling with too much energy to be still for long.  And they sang. It was more like a dozen voices shouting the words at him than anything close to a melody. When they got to that point in the song, they sang “Happy Birthday Mr. Tony” instead of calling him Iron Man.  When they were finished, they all clapped for themselves and Tony stood up and clapped as well.

 

He blew out the candles, way more than necessary considering he wasn’t that old yet.  It was more than he could handle, his lungs not as strong as they should be, but he had a bunch of kids ready and willing to give them a hand.  Then they all cheered again, a few jumping up and down as they clapped.

 

The presents the made for him were amazing.  They all took a turn giving him a drawing, glitter falling off of it, the paper sticky with glue, and covered in finger paintings or marker scribbles of him.  Iron Man saving the day, Iron Man on his last visit, Iron Man with birthday hats. Some of just plain Tony, in his suit and tie, with jet boots, with birthday presents.  He had so many wonderful pictures stacked up on a pile in his lap by the end of it.

 

“Do you want me to take those for you?”  Pepper asked.

 

Tony shook his head.

 

“Come on Tony, I’ll just put them up for you.  We can hang them all up when we get home.” Pepper said.  Tony wouldn’t let them go and Pepper laughed. “I’m not stealing them.”

 

“They’re mine, Pepper.  The birthday boy gets whatever he wants and he wants to hold his presents.”  Tony said.

 

“Don’t talk about yourself in the third person.  You know I hate that.” Rhodey said.

 

“You just hate Tony’s genius.  Let him express himself however he feels is best.”  Tony said, sticking his tongue out.

 

They all had cake and then the children made Tony stand up from his special chair and dance with them as the nurses picked out songs to play on the speakers.  They stood around and posed for pictures, for each of the children to have a copy, to hang on the hospital’s wall, and a few for Tony. Everyone was eager to keep a memory of the day, happy and excited that Iron Man had come to have his birthday party with them.

 

“Thank you.”  Tony said when they all got back into the car again.

 

At home they had a smaller gathering.  They had dinner, each gave Tony a small gift.  Everyone was happy, it had been a relaxed day. There were no threats, no drama.  No senators beating down their door or important meetings with the board, no apocalypse situations or people on the run.  They were all here, passing around wrapped boxes until Tony had a bunch of new comfort items.

 

They made him put it all on as they gave it to him.  The blanket from Peter, specially ordered with a photograph of Iron Man and Spiderman moving through New York together.  Peter made Tony wrap it around his shoulders as he opened the sweater from May, stitched to look like the Iron Man chestplate, blue yarn spiralling in the chest to look like the reactor.  Vision had gotten him a few sets of colorful socks and Pepper insisted he put them on so he could wear Bruce’s gift of pig slippers as well.

 

By the time he had gotten all of his gifts, he was warm and comfortable.  Draped in his gifts, no inch of skin left exposed to be cold. Pepper pressed against his side as they all spent the rest of the evening together.

 

They all fell asleep on the living room floor, Rhodey’s arm thrown over Pepper’s face, Natasha on the couch, Bruce leaning against the coffee table, and Peter somehow ending up on top of the kitchen counters.  They all still had their party hats on, all of them covered in glitter, paints, and markers, Peter and May the ones who helped the kids decorate and the rest of them from happily passing around Tony’s gifts from the children as he showed them off.  They promised to help him hang them all on the walls of his workshop in the morning. Everyone was too tired to do it tonight, all content to fall asleep in a warm mess of limbs on the floor, surrounding Tony and trying to steal his new blanket.


End file.
